Tire-protector.



G. GKOROSS. TIRE PHQVTEGTOR. ABBLIOATION FILED H23. 21 1911.

Patented Novl 21, 1911.

Cir

trimaran ,s'rarias GEORGE C. CROSS, 0F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

TIRE-PROTECTOR.

oriensr.

To all whom it may concern:

' -Be it-known that I, GEORGE C. Gnoss, a citizen of the. United States,residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented new, and

useful Improvements in Tire-Protectors, of which the following is aspecification.

The invent-ion provides protective means for resilient tires to increasethe life thereof, diminish the chances of casualties incident toskidding and to increase the tracth 'e force so. as to prevent slippingon smooth surfaces or soft and sandy roads.

The protector comprises a series of plates or scales arranged toencircle the tread por tion of the tire and novel connecting means forjoining the plat-es or scales and at the same time serving to connectthe same to side hinders, the plates or scales being rein forced ontheir outer surfaces by means of wear plates riveted or otherwisesecured thereto so as to be readily replaced when worn.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combination of parts, which hereinafter will. be more particularlyset forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe a pended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the application, Figure 1is a. side view of a length of protector embodying the invention, aportion being in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a partof the protector as seen from the inner side. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofpart of the protector as seen from the tread side. Fig. 4. is aperspective view of one of the joint strips. Fig. 5 is a detail view ofthe connector for coupling the ends of a side binding wire.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The protector or armor comprises a series of plates or scales 1preferably formed of sheet steel, said plates being curvedlongitudinally and transversely to conform to the circumferential andtransverse curvature of the tire for which the protector is designed.Transverse slots 2 are formed in the plates or scales 1 near their endsand at a central point and receive the hooks or lips on the jointstrips,by means. of which the plates are coupled. The plates or scales '1, whenassembled, have their ends approaching so Specification oil LettersPatent. Application filed February 2 Patented Nov. 21, rear;

1, 1911. Serial No: $09,954:.

closely as to practically encircle the tread portion of the tire. Inorder that the plates may have a limited play without binding, the endsof adjacent plates are spaced, the spaces gradually increasing inwidthfrom the middle point toward opposite lcmgitu'- dinal edge portionsof the protector. The

plates or scales maybe stamped or pressed into required form and willvar 111-. size according to the size of the tire 'or which the protectoris intended. I r l Joint strips 3 overlap the. joints formed between.the plates or scales and are of a length to project a short distancebeyond the longitudinal edges of the protector, the projecting endsbeing bent into hooks at engaging over binders 5 arranged upon oppositesides of the tire. The hooks 4 face inward, thereby preventingaccidental disengagement from the binders 5 and also preventing theircatching objects. Lips 6 are'formed upon opposite sides of the jointstrips 3 intermediate of their ends and these lips pass throughtransverse slots 2 of adjacent plates and are bent or clenched upon theinner sides of said plates, thereby serving to connect the same. Thestrips 3, 1t .w'illbe observed, prevent dirt and foreign matter frompassing through the spaces formed between the ends of the plates and atthe same time prevent the extremities of the plates from being bentoutward .or inward by. coming in contact with stones or other objects.

lVear plates 7 are secured to the outer sides of the platesor scales 1and reinforce the same and sustain the wear. The plates 7 are of athickness corresponding to the thickness of the joint strips 3 so as toinsure the format-ion'of a practically continuous tread surface- Theprojecting parts presented by the wear plates andjjoint strips serveto-prevent skidding or slipping and also to increase the tractionbetween the tire and the surface. Thewear plates 7 may be riveted to theplates or scales 1 or secured thereto in any manner.

' The side binders 5 consist of stout wires and are engaged by the hooks4 of the joint strips. The end port-ions of the binding wires arethreaded and are coupled by means of a connector 9 which is formed ofstout wire having terminal eyes 10 formed by coiling end portions of thewire upon itself, said eyes receiving the threaded ends of the binder,and nuts 11 being mounted upon the threaded ends of 'the bindersandengaging iaid eyes 10, as indicated most clearly in ig. 1.- I

Having thus described the, invention, What I claim as new is 1. Aprotector for resilient tires comprising a s eries of plates havingopenings in their opposite ends, transverse joint strips overlapping thejoints formed between the ends of the plates and having lipsintermediate of their ends engaging the openings near the ends of theplates, said joint strips having their end portions projecting beyondthe longitudinal edges of the protector and formed into hooks, and sidebinders engaging the hooked ends of the joint strips.

2. A protector for resilienttires comprising a series of plates havingtransverse slots near their extremities and midway of their longitudinaledges, transverse joint strips overlapping the joints formed between theplates and-having lips intermediate of their ends passing through thetransverse slots and having their end portions extended beyond the edgesof the protector and formed into hooks, side binders engaging the hookedends of the joint strips, and wear plates secured to the outer sides ofthe plates and of a thickness approximating the thickness of the jointstrips.

In testimony whereof I afiix in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE C. CROSS. Witnesses V. B. HILLYA'RD,

BENNETT S. JONES.

v 30 my signature

